Call for Applications: International Expert Roster on Marine Biodiversity Conservation and Management

1. Improved bio-geographical representation of marine and coastal protected areas (MCPA), and
2. Improved management arrangements for MCPAs, clarifying institutional settings and capacity building.

The immediate global biodiversity benefits include expanded protection coverage (by at least 13,000 ha) for unique marine, lagoon, wetland, and cape habitats hosting critically endangered, threatened and near-threatened species such as Loggerhead and Leatherback turtles, Mediterranean seal, Dalmatian pelican, threatened birds-of-prey and fish species, corals, sponges, sea-grasses and other important habitats and species.

• Collaborate closely with the national legal expert and other project experts for improving regulatory framework related to MCPAs (Strategic Plan of MCPAs, facilitate the review of Albanian legislation related to protected areas, territorial planning, tourism as well as drafting of specific amendments that remove legal barriers to effectively managed MCPAs).
• Transfer international best practices on legal frameworks for coastal and marine protected areas to the project team and provide appropriate orientations and guidance toward means for cost-containment and new income-generating measures that have proven to be successful in other countries and that can be adapted to the situation in Albania (working closely with protected areas finance and economics expert, as well as the whole project team)
• Assist the national financing expert and other experts (legal, protected areas economics and management experts) for preparing a financial sustainability plan (inc. financing needs for the expanded network of MCPAs in Albania and explore the feasibility of different revenue-generating mechanisms for bridging the gap (fees, charges for sustainable use, private sponsorship, public-private-partnerships, external donor funding).
• Prepare a nature based tourism master plan for and provide technical expertise for the establishment of nature based tourism at 3 pilot sites including high level guidance and evaluation techniques for the determination of fees for tourism based revenues for the protected areas.
• Facilitate the national socio-economic expert and other project team to consolidate studies for selection of the MPAs and/or MCPAs to be established; Assess the expected budget of the MPA, analyze the current approach to funding protected areas in Albania and assess whether the available resources are likely to be adequate for meeting conservation needs of the proposed MPA.
• Collaborate with the national biodiversity expert in updating the zoning scheme with a clearly demarcated buffer zone, and developing revised maps for each coastal protected area.
• Propose a special protection/ resource use regime for the buffer zone of each of the nine CPAs. Analyze climate change risk data to ensure that the definition of buffer zones and permissible activities increase resilience to climate risks involving desk studies of the existing data, data gathering on marine ecology, climate change risk data, zoning and demarcation of sensitive areas, and development of regulatory, management and monitoring strategies and plans.
• Provide inputs in establishing a system for joint surveillance and monitoring of the network of MCPAs and a Strategic Plan for Marine and Coastal Protected Areas.
• Provide inputs on infrastructure required for the park administration to undertake monitoring and design of the system in terms of data entry and report generation; estimation of financial needs for setting-up this system.
• Collaborate closely with the national socio economic expert, but also with finance, management and business planning experts for contributing in the development and implementation of management plan and a business plan in the Karaburuni-Sazani MPA.

• Good knowledge of the current MCPA/marine biodiversity related legal and regulatory framework in Albania and the required changes to address Albania’s EU accession requirements;
• Demonstrated experience and success in analysing and drafting proposals for MCPA specific and/or other marine biodiversity sector related laws and regulations;
• Good knowledge of the international experiences, state-of-the-art approaches and best practices to promote the MCPA and MBD with different legal and regulatory measures;
• Good analytical skills and effective communication and training skills and competence in handling external relations at all levels;
• Ability to work in a team and to motivate other team members and counterparts;
• Previous experience/familiarity with UNDP (or other donors/international organisation) is an advantage;
• Good working knowledge to communicate and write reports in English.

• Advanced University Degree or equivalent in nature resources or protected areas management, tourism, specialised in marine biodiversity and/or MCPA conservation will be an asset;

• Minimum 10 years of working experience in marine biodiversity conservation; Marine Coastal Protected Areas (MCPAs) management, preferably with knowledge on socioeconomic aspect of MCPAs system and related legal and regulatory framework in Albania.

• Fluency in English.

• Cover letter stating your interest in and qualifications for the advertised position. Please paste the letter into the “Resume and Motivation” section of the electronic application.
• Filled P11 form (blank form can be downloaded from http://www.undp.org.al/index.php?page=bus_center/vacancies); please upload the P11 instead of your CV.
• Financial Proposal – daily fee in USD.
• Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all teh requested materials.